The present invention relates to a table calculating device in use with an interactive data processing system.
This type of table calculating device is generally used in work stations, personal computers, word processors, and the like. In the conventional table calculating device, a display unit such as a CRT display unit displays a table 10 having a two-dimensional arrangement of entries 11 defined by row and column lines as shown in FIG. 5. The displayed table 10 is based on display data stored in a memory. An operator enters desired data, such as characters and numerical values, for the entries 11 by an input means, for example, a keyboard. The data are stored and may be displayed, with the display attribute designated. Further, a formula 13 may be entered, which indirectly determines data referring to a value of another entry. Where such a formula is used, if a value in the entry being referred to by the formula is changed by an operator, a data processor such as a CPU executes a table calculation using the formula, and displays the result of the table calculation on the display unit. In this example of the prior art, the formula 13 present in a command input section 12 is "3@2". The formula indicates that a value, i.e., "25", in the specified 3rd entry of a table as counted in the row direction is multiplied by a value, i.e., 248,000, in the specified 2nd entry in the row direction. The value "25" in the 3rd entry in the row direction that is to be changed is displayed on the right side of the formula 13. In response to these commands, the CPU calculates the formula 13 and displays the calculation result "6,200,000" in the 4th entry in the row direction. The CPU modifies the data on the table, and stores the modified data into a main memory. In this way, the communication between an operator and the machine, or the table calculating device, progresses.
Usually, the table contains the command input section 12. By using this section, an operator enters various types of commands for table preparation, such as selection of designated entries, change of an input value, formula, and attribute, copy, movement and deletion of entries, change of widths of the row and column lines, etc. Thus, to select an entry in a table by the conventional using table calculating device, a desired or target entry is specified by cursor movement keys or a mouse, and a required value is entered from the keyboard by using edit commands.
The above table preparation work requires many steps using the mouse, keyboard and commands, and further knowledge of related commands. Accordingly, such table preparation work is difficult for an unskilled operator, thereby consuming much time and leading to operation errors.